The Camera with 'Max Havelaar Eyes'

The Ambonese colonial soldiers are gathered beneath a tree, bayonets unsheathed and in hand. It appears they are being coordinated; the camera does not bother them. In another photo, Dayak soldiers pose with spears and shields. Both images were clearly taken by someone adept at navigating challenging environments, from scenes of war to those deep in the jungle. The photographer must also have been experienced at his craft, given the way he made his subjects feel at ease.

The other images that were on display at an exhibition in Ubud, Bali, captured the worlds of plantations and factories. They depicted coffee, tobacco and tea estates, domestic servants, coolies at ports and refineries. Shots of ancient machines, train tracks and irrigation ditches hung beside pictures of the people who labored among them. They were taken all over the archipelago, from Payakumbuh to Papua to Samarinda to the small town of Tuntang, Central Java.